Rider (Mad Baron - Yemelyan Pugachev)
Rider, Servant Title: False Tsar of the Cossacks, true name Yemelyan Pugachev, is a character in the singularity The Mad Baron, initially on the side of the Soviets, though he can be convinced to defect to Chaldea if he is fought and defeated by the player. He also qualifies for the classes Archer and Saber Profile True Identity Yemelyan Pugachev was the son of a Cossack land owner born around 1742, and first rose to prominence as a military leader of the famous Russian Cossack cavalry during the Seven Years War (1756-1763), and subsequently in campaigns in Moldova, where he first developed his flair for impersonation, claiming that his sword was given to him by his supposed “godfather” tsar Peter I “The Great” of Russia. In 1770, he deserted from the military and eventually escaped to the lands of the Yaik Cossacks, near the Ural River in Russia. It was during this time that Pugachev first claimed to be deposed (and actually dead) tsar Peter III, who was deposed and replaced by Catherine II. Pugachev led a revolt in 1773 among the Cossacks, as well as serfs and others discontented with Catherine’s rule, promising to restore privileges taken from the Cossacks, restore the old traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church (prior to religious reforms in the mid-1600s), and freedom from serfdom. Pugachev’s rebellion had several early successes, most notably the capture of the city of Kazan in 1773. Pugachev met his downfall when, after a defeat at Tsaritsyn (today Volgograd), he was betrayed by his followers and captured in 1774. Pugachev was subsequently executed in January 1775. Appearance As a Servant, Pugachev takes the form of a black-haired man with a Chupryna haircut and a long black beard leading down to his mid-chest, wearing a red Kontusz robe with a golden belt. As a rider, he is often seen on horseback, and is armed with a shashka sword and a flintlock pistol. While this is his default appearance, his "impersonation" ability allows him to take on almost any number of appearances. Personality Pugachev is, first and foremost, a master of manipulation and disguise, and is capable of assuming any number of personalities to fit his current disguise. His true personality is that of a charismatic revolutionary who is in some ways similar to Lenin, seeking to improve the lot of the common people, and being a fierce enemy of the tsar and the Russian nobility. Pugachev is, however, somewhat conflicted in his support of Lenin. While Pugachev sympathizes with Lenin's goals of improving conditions of the common people, having campaigned for an end to serfdom when he was alive, his conservative Orthodox faith stands in to stark contrast to Lenin's atheism and outright anti-religiousness, as well the fact that Lenin has shown hostility towards his people, the Cossacks, as Lenin brutally repressed Cossack nationalists who sought self-determination in the wake of the Russian Revolution. Given his conflicts with his current master, perhaps Pugachev could be easily be convinced to turn against him... Role The Mad Baron (Singularity) His hatred for the tsar draws Pugachev toward being summoned by Vladimir Lenin and his Soviets as a counter to Roman von Ungern-Sternberg's servants. Pugachev fights alongside the other Soviet servants, and, depending on the player's action, may fight the player if he is not killed in combat with Sternberg's servants. Most notably, one possible chain of events involves him attempting to use his "Sumerki Kremlin (False)" Noble Phantasm against Ivan's Oprichniki, only for Ivan to comment its nature as a "pitiful forgery", and destroy it with his Noble Phantasm, killing Pugachev in the process. If the player fights Pugachev before he is killed in combat with Sternberg's servants, they may recruit him, taking advantage of his ideological conflicts with Lenin. Abilities Personal Skills *Riding (C+) *Combat Maneuver: Horse (A): A mastery of combat maneuvers on horseback *Impersonation (B): Grants the ability of the user to disguise themselves as another person, provided they are sufficiently familiar with their appearance and mannerisms. This includes both servants and normal humans, the latter allowing him to catch adversaries by surprise. This ability can be seen through with sufficient perception, and will be easily broken if the original of the person being impersonated is present. Noble Phantasm Sumerki Kremlin: Abominable Fortress of Blood (False) *Type Fortress *Rank: C As a pretender to the tsar of Russia, Pugachev can create a false version of the Noble Phantasm Sumerki Kremlin possessed by servants of Russian royal blood, which creates a formidable fortress that only those chosen by Pugachev can enter. Far weaker than the “true” version. Sword of Peter the Great (False) *Type: Anti-Unit *Rank: B- Pugachev claimed his sword was given to him by Peter the Great, a claim he had made since at least 1770. This claim is not believed to be true, given lower attack power. Category:Servants Category:Characters Category:SPARTAN 119 Category:Russian Heroic Spirits Category:Heroic Spirits Category:Asian Heroic Spirits Category:European Heroic Spirits